“The Spirit-Filled Life” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5) - A Tribute to My Grandfather -

Grandfather’s Legacy

Back in January 2011 I visited Korea to attend my grandmother’s funeral. While I was there, my grandfather gave his handwritten autobiography, saying, “Since you are now called to ministry, I want you to have this.” When I received that notebook, I felt like I inherited a share of his spirit and became his successor. I always admired my grandfather and his faith. But as I was reading it, I became even more inspired. He was appointed to several different churches throughout his life. Wherever church he was sent to, that church became alive and revived. In particular, he recorded the surprising work of God in details at his last church where he served for 27 years. He wrote, “For 27 years there, 13 people were set free from unclean spirits in the name of Jesus and became faithful Christians and church leaders, 4 paralyzed people were healed, 7 people (5 children and 2 adults) were raised from the dead, quite a few suffering from various cancers were healed in Jesus’ name.” I have personally seen some of them with my eyes while I was attending his church. Surely the power of the Holy Spirit was with him and his ministry. As I was reading his story once again this past week, some questions came to my mind: “I understand he lived a Spirit-filled life. But his context is different from mine. Then, what does it mean to live a Spirit-filled life in today’s context? What does it look like? Are there any timeless principles?” Thankfully, today’s scripture gives the answer to these questions.

Crucified Message

First of all, today’s passage teaches us that the Spirit-filled life begins with the message of the cross. If we read the Book of Acts, we find the acts of the Holy Spirit. Without any doubt, the Apostle Paul was one of the main divine channels the Holy Spirit used. Wherever he went, there were powerful works of the Holy Spirit – people were changed, healed, set free from evil spirits, and came to the faith. So what’s the secret? We can find the answer in today’s text. Paul says, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (v. 2). And he continues, “My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (v. 4). Paul was a well-educated person. He could use his own knowledge and wisdom. He could impress his audience with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. But he deliberately kept it plain and simple. He preached Jesus – who he is and what he did – Jesus crucified. He preached why Jesus had to be crucified. The message of the cross was always at the center of his preaching. And the message came through, not by Paul’s wisdom or power, but by God’s Spirit and God’s power.

My grandfather always enjoyed telling a Bible story and also his story – how God saved him, healed him, and led him up to this day. I still vividly remember the day when I officially introduced to him Joyce as my fiancée. We had a meal together at a restaurant, and on our way home in the van, he began to tell us a story. He says, “The cross of Christ is the most powerful and loving gesture of God. Since Adam and Eve rebelled against God, he kept reaching out to us. He gave us his law, but we did not obey. He sent us his messengers – prophets, judges, kings, priests, but we just didn’t want to listen to them. So finally, God sent his Son, his one and only Son, to die in our place on the cross, so that we might be deeply moved by his love and come to Christ and have life.” As I was listening to my grandfather, I felt the Holy Spirit. That day I was deeply touched by Christ’s love and surrendered my life to him. Oswald Chambers rightly said that by the preaching of the message of the cross God creates what was never there before, that is, faith in Himself on the ground of Christ’s sacrificial death. When we humbly believe the message of the cross, we are then filled, empowered, directed by the Holy Spirit.

Crucified Life

First, the Spirit-filled life begins with believing the message of the cross. Secondly, the Spirit-filled life and the crucified life go hand in hand. In fact, the Spirit-filled life is the crucified life. In verse 3 Paul says, “I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.” What does it mean by that? Acts 18 gives us a hint. When Paul arrived in Corinth, he was compelled by the Spirit, and testified that Jesus is the Christ. He proclaimed the message of the cross. But then he faced great opposition and persecution. He felt totally inadequate. He was afraid. He was scared to death. So Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the gentiles.” Then he left the synagogue. But the Lord said to him in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no one will lay a hand on you to harm you, for there are many in this city who are my people” (18:9-10). So, Paul stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Paul felt weak, vulnerable, inadequate, afraid. You see his natural desire was to leave the unlovable and move on. But God’s Spirit wanted him to stay and love those people and preach the good news. So Paul chose to abide and love anyway. That’s the Spirit-filled life. That’s the crucified life – not my will but yours be done.

In Matthew 10:37-38 Jesus said, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Here we find two qualifications to be followers of Jesus. First, we ought to love Jesus more than our family. Secondly, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. In other words, we must love Jesus first, put Jesus first more than anyone else. By comparison we must hate everyone else – our father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, even our own life. Otherwise, we cannot be his disciple (Luke 14:26 NLT). In his autobiography my grandfather shares how God helped him to love Jesus more than anyone else. When the church appointment season came, a district superintendent heard about my grandfather’s family situations and promised to appoint him to a certain church. There he would get a good salary to support his three children. My grandmother was also promised work as a nurse at the hospital. They were excited. But at the last minute, because of church politics, my grandfather was appointed to the most difficult church in the district. That church was located on a remote island, suffering from deep divisions for years. About 20 people were gathered without the pastor for more than three years. The parsonage was abandoned. My grandfather was very upset and about to make a request for a new appointment. But while he was praying, he realized it was God’s will for him to stay. So he stayed. For a while, he and his family suffered a lot. But later, the church was healed and renewed. That church became one of his family’s favorite places for life. At his retirement service, my grandfather and grandmother did special music, titled “God’s great grace it is has brought us”:

 God renews our failing powers with his might from day to day

And in mercy on us showers grace sufficient for the way

Though the loveless streets be dreary harsh and bleak the mountain ways

We shall walk and not be weary clasp his hand and sing his praise

The Wonderful Spirit-filled Life

When I think about my grandfather’s influence on me, I just want to give thanks to God for sending him into my life. When I was young, I had serious ear infections and lost my hearing in my right ear. But he prayed for me, and I was healed. When I was in my 7^th grade, he was a main speaker at the youth Bible camp. After hearing his message of the cross, I believed the gospel and received a call to ministry. The day before I went to the army, he prayed for me with Isaiah 41:10, which became my life verse since then. When I got married, he blessed Joyce and me and officiated our wedding. My grandfather was always my inspiration.

The other day my parents shared one thing that they had found very interesting during my grandfather’s visiting hours. My parents didn’t expect many visitors because of the pandemic and his age (95). He had been already retired for 26 years. But to their surprise, many visitors came. Among them, quite a few were young adults my parents didn’t recognize. So my parents asked them, “What brings you here?” One person said, “My grandmother always talked about him. So I feel like I have known him well. So I came on behalf of my family.” Another said, “He helped my parents when they were in need. So I came.” Another said, “He prayed for my mother to be healed. So I came to show my respect and gratitude.”

Today we are standing on the shoulders of giants, as Isaac Newton said. For me, I came to Christ my Lord and Savior because of the message of the cross my grandfather shared and the crucified life he had lived. I am sure you have your “heroes” who took you under his or her wing, loved you no matter what, shared the good news, and led you to Christ. Today let us remember them and their legacy. And be thankful. May we carry on their legacy and pass it on. May we believe the message of the cross and live out a crucified life. Amen.